Because Black & White is beautiful

[Zelena]

Hello,

when I was younger, I read comics in color and I also read a lot of comics in black and white… These latter were printed in small format on cheap paper.


Now, when I see the same pages in color, I'm so disappointed by the result: the color adds nothing and, on the contrary, removes the magic…

I want to show the way I saw these pages when I first looked at these pages (I don't have these comics anymore, so I had to do some research, first…)

First from Starlin:






Then from Kirby:



The comic artists who did this were real artists and they thought first the pictures in black and white obviously…

[Reviresco]

Hello,

when I was younger, I read comics in color and I also read a lot of comics in black and white… These latter were printed in small format on cheap paper.


Now, when I see the same pages in color, I'm so disappointed by the result: the color adds nothing and, on the contrary, removes the magic…

I want to show the way I saw these pages when I first looked at these pages (I don't have these comics anymore, so I had to do some research, first…)


The comic artists who did this were real artists and they thought first the pictures in black and white obviously…

I'm not sure where you would have read these in black and white first, but the original printings of these issues were in color. Those 'real artists' drew them knowing they would be in color.

The only Marvel books I remember coming out originally in black and white were some of the bigger magazine sized issues, mostly horror, like Dracula Lives, Strange Tales, and ... was there a Zombie one? I think Shang-Chi and the martial arts heroes also had a black and white black magazine.

[Ichijinijisanji]

I'm not sure where you would have read these in black and white first, but the original printings of these issues were in color. Those 'real artists' drew them knowing they would be in color.

The only Marvel books I remember coming out originally in black and white were some of the bigger magazine sized issues, mostly horror, like Dracula Lives, Strange Tales, and ... was there a Zombie one? I think Shang-Chi and the martial arts heroes also had a black and white black magazine.

The Essential Marvel line was black and white

[Reviresco]

The Essential Marvel line was black and white

Ah yes. But the Essential line was in smaller format? I thought it was the same size as the comics?

Regardless, my point stands. These particular stories were not drawn with the intention that they be viewed in black and white. Their first, original printings, were in color.

Though, I also like a good, originally printed, black and white comic. Those Dracula Lives magazines were AWESOME.

[Ichijinijisanji]

Ah yes. But the Essential line was in smaller format? I thought it was the same size as the comics?

Regardless, my point stands. These particular stories were not drawn with the intention that they be viewed in black and white. Their first, original printings, were in color.

Though, I also like a good, originally printed, black and white comic. Those Dracula Lives magazines were AWESOME.

Might've been illegally reprinted knock offs of the essential line.

[Panic]

Might've been illegally reprinted knock offs of the essential line.

Probably the OP read the stories first in British Marvel books. In the UK the comics were printed in B&W. The Avengers story in the OP I read exactly like that, back in the early Eighties in Marvel Superheroes Monthly (or whatever it was called), an anthology book which, sadly, would sometimes edit the comics for space reasons. Most British Marvel UK material was drawn for B&W:

[Ichijinijisanji]

huh that makes sense

[Zelena]

I'm not sure where you would have read these in black and white first, but the original printings of these issues were in color. Those 'real artists' drew them knowing they would be in color.

The only Marvel books I remember coming out originally in black and white were some of the bigger magazine sized issues, mostly horror, like Dracula Lives, Strange Tales, and ... was there a Zombie one? I think Shang-Chi and the martial arts heroes also had a black and white black magazine.

The original printings were maybe in color but before adding the color, the page was first in black and white and I find that these pages work better without color.
It is much more stylish to me.

I read also horror comic and they were all in black and white… much better for horror…

[Zelena]

Probably the OP read the stories first in British Marvel books. In the UK the comics were printed in B&W. The Avengers story in the OP I read exactly like that, back in the early Eighties in Marvel Superheroes Monthly (or whatever it was called), an anthology book which, sadly, would sometimes edit the comics for space reasons. Most British Marvel UK material was drawn for B&W:

Not UK comic but French edition. (Really, is that important?)

Captain Britain without blue and red is more difficult to recognise… I must admit.

[Digifiend]

Same principle. In Europe, comics weren't routinely colour until the 90s, so reprints of US material often had the colour removed.

[Reviresco]

Probably the OP read the stories first in British Marvel books. In the UK the comics were printed in B&W. The Avengers story in the OP I read exactly like that, back in the early Eighties in Marvel Superheroes Monthly (or whatever it was called), an anthology book which, sadly, would sometimes edit the comics for space reasons. Most British Marvel UK material was drawn for B&W:

Okay, that makes sense. Didn't realize the European reprints were in black and white.

The original printings were maybe in color but before adding the color, the page was first in black and white and I find that these pages work better without color.
It is much more stylish to me.

I read also horror comic and they were all in black and white… much better for horror…

Well, I can't argue with your opinion on what is stylish. I do disagree that these pages necessarily work better in black and white or that was the original intent of the artists. I completely lose Thanos and Pip on that background of dials, and the same of Kirby's dinosaurs on the ground -- color would make them pop.

That said, pages that were originally intended to be published in black and white should stay that way, like the above Night Raven page. Color doesn't do them any favors and destroys the subtlety of shading and the stark contrasts that were intended with black and white.

The only originally published in color book / artist I can think of that looks better in black and white is Simone Bianchi. His Wolverine series are gorgeous in black and white. The color version is just muddy.

[Astral Disaster]

Well, I can't argue with your opinion on what is stylish. I do disagree that these pages necessarily work better in black and white or that was the original intent of the artists. I completely lose Thanos and Pip on that background of dials, and the same of Kirby's dinosaurs on the ground -- color would make them pop.

That said, pages that were originally intended to be published in black and white should stay that way, like the above Night Raven page. Color doesn't do them any favors and destroys the subtlety of shading and the stark contrasts that were intended with black and white.

Definitely agree with your assessment, I have several of the Marvel Essentials books and while reading or looking through them often find myself wishing they were in the original color instead of black and white, I had a few of the original single issues when I was younger and those particular reprints stand out even more as being not entirely satisfying.

[Gurz]

There are 3 Issues of Black and White The Punisher comics in The Punisher: Back to The War Omnibus. They must be orginaly black and white, otherwise they would put them in the color. The Amazing Spider-Man issues were all in color. The 3 black and white Punisher issues were beautiful, story was really decent as well. First telling of Punisher's origin in the first 2.

[Ichijinijisanji]

Personal opinion, since I also read a lot of manga, black and white does add a certain feel.
It works well for the more grim characters, but also works well for the cosmic stuff.

I feel thanos' eyes glow in a better way in BnW

[Zelena]

Well, I can't argue with your opinion on what is stylish. I do disagree that these pages necessarily work better in black and white or that was the original intent of the artists. I completely lose Thanos and Pip on that background of dials, and the same of Kirby's dinosaurs on the ground -- color would make them pop.

I agree that "black and white" doesn't work for every page. It's sometimes difficult to distinguish some details but as I read before the pages I posted in black and white and in a small format… I didn't think they could print in color. So I didn't complain.

With the color, the atmosphere is different and is less… dramatic.

Then, one of my favourite pages:



My favourite page, I didn't find, it's the page just before… very beautiful.